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August 25, 2014

Rock 'n' Roll Dublin non-racing fun!

Part of our experience as Rock 'n' Bloggers at the Rock 'n Roll Dublin Half Marathon included several fun events besides race day. Christine wrote about our race day experience here and honestly, it was one of the most fun and relaxed races we have run.

Getting our credentials at the expo…and feeling a little out of our league!

And celebrating afterwards with a fun pub lunch in the Temple Bar section of Dublin was wonderful and so different than the way we eat/drink after our races here in the US. Just look at the size of those beer glasses!

No, those weren't all our beers!

Getting back on topic, the first event we attended was the party held on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Cafe, which ended up being practically next door to our hotel in Dublin. This event was sponsored by the Rock 'n' Roll Competitor Group and included delicious food and drinks.

Headed out for a fun evening!

It was a great opportunity to meet with many of the people associated with the event including Josh Furlow, Executive Vice President of Global events. His travel schedule is insane! Right after the Dublin event, he was flying to Virginia Beach, to work on things for the upcoming race on August 31st. We also met some of the police force who are tasked with keeping all the runners safe on race day, a woman who had won her race entry via a contest, and Mary, who is affiliated with the Tourist Board of Ireland.

Enjoying a few libations!

On Sunday afternoon, while Christine shopped for clothing since her suitcase still had not arrived, I had the opportunity to take a walking city tour courtesy of Failte Ireland (Tourist Board). Tom joined myself and 4 others including Christina MacDonald, editor of Women's Running UK magazine, who was also running the half marathon on Monday morning. It was delightful to have a few hours to see some of the more contemporary and newer sights in Dublin. My favorite was probably the rooftop bar at The Marker which we were told is packed on a beautiful day. We stopped here for a brief rest and beverage and then continued the tour at a nearby area called the Grand Canal. It is unusual to see water sports in the middle of a big city, and we learned that a place called Surfdock caters to all ages with some thrill rides and less scary water fun! Another stop was at a coffee shop called the 3fe (3rd floor espresso), that has won numerous awards worldwide for their coffee. It has a very contemporary flair with table and chairs made out of scaffolding!

Our final stop was at the Fallon & Byrne Restaurant for dinner. Luckily, Christine and Adam had finished their shopping and were able to join the group. This restaurant is located above a food hall that was a gourmet cook's paradise.

Nice views of the downstairs since it was closed when we left the restaurant!

Lovely food, drink, and conversation with fellow runners/writers made the evening a fantastic way to end our busy day. With race morning less than 12 hours away, we said our goodbyes and wished each other well.

We feel so lucky to have been extended the invitation to attend these events and are truly grateful to both the Competitor Group and Failte Ireland for treating us like running princesses! Hopefully we will be back to enjoy this race again.

If you are interested in reading another take on the Dublin race, here is a link to "Dublin Rocked," a blog post by Chris MacDonald.
(Pam)

Pam and Christine

About Pam and Christine

Hi there! We are a mother-daughter running team who have completed multiple marathons and half marathons all over the world. What started as a deal to run a half marathon together in Walt Disney World in 2011 has led us to California, Dublin, Boston, and beyond! Read more...